MI began the season under their new captain Hardik Pandya but started poorly, with three successive defeats. Though they won three of their next four games, another streak of four successive defeats severely damaged their playoff chances.
Hardik has had a poor season too, scoring only 198 runs in 11 innings, and taking 11 wickets with an economy rate of 10.58. Despite giving chances to Romario Shepherd, Mohammad Nabi and Nuwan Thushara, they have not been able to get the most from their overseas players. Their spin department was their weaker suit and took only 13 of their 68 total wickets in the tournament so far. While they won three of their six games at home, they have had a tough time on the road, with their only win in five away games coming against Punjab Kings.
Their early elimination means that MI’s wait for their sixth IPL title continues, having won their fourth and fifth trophies in 2019 and 2020. Since then, they have made the playoffs only once in four seasons, in 2023 when they were eliminated by Gujarat Titans in Qualifier 2.
Source: ESPN Crickinfo